Economicas

Religions of Ancient China
Herbert A. Giles

Religions of Ancient China

Table of Contents
Religions of Ancient China
.................................................................................................................................1
Herbert A.Giles.......................................................................................................................................1
CHAPTER I. THE ANCIENT FAITH....................................................................................................1
CHAPTER II. CONFUCIANISM...........................................................................................................9
CHAPTER III.TAOISM.......................................................................................................................12
CHAPTER IV. MATERIALISM..........................................................................................................14
CHAPTER V. BUDDHISM AND OTHER RELIGIONS....................................................................18

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Religions of Ancient China
Herbert A. Giles
• CHAPTER I. THE ANCIENT FAITH
• CHAPTER II. CONFUCIANISM
• CHAPTER III. TAOISM• CHAPTER IV. MATERIALISM
• CHAPTER V. BUDDHISM AND OTHER RELIGIONS
This page copyright © 2000 Blackmask Online.
Professor of Chinese at the University of Cambridge,
Author of "Historic China," "A History of Chinese
Literature," "China and the Chinese," etc., etc.

CHAPTER I. THE ANCIENT FAITH
Philosophical Theory of the Universe.−−The problem of the universe has never offered theslightest difficulty
to Chinese philosophers. Before the beginning of all things, there was Nothing. In the lapse of ages Nothing
coalesced into Unity, the Great Monad. After more ages, the Great Monad separated into Duality, the Male
and Female Principles in nature; and then, by a process of biogenesis, the visible universe was produced.
Popular Cosmogeny.−−An addition, however, to this simplesystem had to be made, in deference to, and on a
plane with, the intelligence of the masses. According to this, the Male and Female Principles were each
subdivided into Greater and Lesser, and then from the interaction of these four agencies a being, named P'an
Ku, came into existence. He seems to have come into life endowed with perfect knowledge, and his function
was to set the economy of theuniverse in order. He is often depicted as wielding a huge adze, and engaged in
constructing the world. With his death the details of creation began. His breath became the wind; his voice,
the thunder; his left eye, the sun; his right eye, the moon; his blood flowed in rivers; his hair grew into trees
and plants; his flesh became the soil; his sweat descended as rain; while the parasites whichinfested his body
were the origin of the human race.
Recognition and Worship of Spirits.−−Early Chinese writers tell us that Fu Hsi, B.C. 2953−2838, was the
first Emperor to organize sacrifices to, and worship of, spirits. In this he was followed by the Yellow
Emperor, B.C. 2698−2598, who built a temple for the worship of God, in which incense was used, and first
sacrificed to the Mountains andRivers. He is also said to have established the worship of the sun, moon, and
five planets, and to have elaborated the ceremonial of ancestral worship.
God the Father, Earth the Mother.−−The Yellow Emperor was followed by the Emperor Shao Hao, B.C.
2598−2514, "who instituted the music of the Great Abyss in order to bring spirits and men into harmony."
Then came the Emperor Chuan Hsu, B.C.2514−2436, of whom it is said that he appointed an officer "to
preside over the worship of God and Earth, in order to form a link between the spirits and man," and also
"caused music to be played for the enjoyment of God." Music, by the way, is said to have been introduced
into worship in imitation of thunder, and was therefore supposed to be pleasing to the Almighty. After him
followed the...